Digitalna pismenost in reševanje problemov v tehnološko bogatih okoljih

Rapid development and progress, as well as the growing presence of information and communications technologies dictate the need for more highly developed digital skills in individuals. The paper focuses on the concepts of digital skills and problem solving in technology-rich environments. It examines these on the basis of empirical data obtained in the international study PIAAC. The introductory part presents an overview of the literature and the results of previous research in the field of measurement of digital skills, and data on the use of information society services among the EU Member States. The second part of the article refers to the results obtained in the study PIAAC. The results, confirmed by the results of other studies, showed the impact of age and education level on the problem solving in technology-rich environments. Article concludes with suggestions for improving the current state of integration of all population groups in training programs in the field of digital skills.Hiter razvoj in vedno večja vloga informacijsko-komunikacijskih tehnologij zahtevata bolj razvite digitalne spretnosti posameznikov. Prispevek se osredotoča na koncepta digitalnih spretnosti in reševanja problemov v tehnološko bogatih okoljih, ki bosta obravnavana tudi na podlagi empiričnih podatkov, pridobljenih v mednarodni študiji PIAAC. V uvodnem delu je podan pregled literature in so predstavljeni rezultati predhodnih raziskav s področja merjenja digitalnih spretnosti ter podatki o uporabi storitev informacijske družbe med članicami Evropske unije. V drugem delu članka analiziramo rezultate, pridobljene v študiji PIAAC. Ti rezultati so pokazali, da imata največji vpliv na uspešnost reševanja problemov v tehnološko bogatih okoljih starost in izobrazba, kar potrjujejo tudi rezultati drugih raziskav. Prispevek zaključujemo s predlogi za izboljšanje trenutnega stanja vključenosti vseh skupin prebivalstva v programe usposabljanja na področju digitalnih spretnosti

Izkušnje kronično obolelih pacientov s telemedicinsko obravnavo v ambulantah družinske medicine

Uvod: Telemedicinska obravnava stopa v ospredje kot strategija za obvladovanje kroničnih nenalezljivih bolezni,  ki v Sloveniji povzročijo visok delež smrti. Namen raziskave je bil preučiti, kakšne izkušnje imajo pacienti z diagnozo kronične bolezni tako z uporabo telemedicinske opreme kot s telemedicinsko obravnavo v ambulanti družinske medicine. Metode: Julija 2020 so bile v enem od slovenskih  zdravstvenih domov izvedene štiri fokusne skupine z 19 pacienti s sladkorno boleznijo tipa 2 in/ali visokim krvnim tlakom. Prepisi skupinskih pogovorov so bili analizirani po načelih induktivne tematske analize. Rezultati: S pomočjo induktivne tematske analize je bilo  oblikovanih sedem tem: prednosti in slabosti  telemedicinske obravnave, enostavnost uporabe telemedicinske opreme, dvosmerna komunikacija z zdravstvenim osebjem, učinki telemedicinske obravnave na zdravstveno stanje pacientov, želja po uporabi in dostopnosti telemedicinske obravnave, vpliv in opora  okolja ter skrb za lastno zdravje. Teme vsebujejo 10 podtem in 29 dejavnikov. Diskusija in zaključek: Na izvajanje telemedicinskih  meritev najbolj vplivajo zaznana potreba pacientov in navodila zdravstvenega osebja. Kljub pozitivni izkušnji pacientov z uporabo telemedicinske opreme je potrebna strokovna presoja primernosti tovrstne obravnave na individualni ravni, ki ne vključuje le zdravstvenega stanja pacientov, marveč tudi oceno njihovega odnosa do zdravja in digitalnih veščin

Application of an integral methodological approach to measuring the dynamics of the basic digital divide

The paper illustrates that, when analysing the dynamics of the digital divide,the answer to the seemingly simple question ćIs the digital divide increasing, decreasing, or is it constant\u27ć is not straightforward. An integral methodological tool that comprehensively addresses this question willbe introduced. This methodological approach is based on the assumption that none of the existing statistical measures truly communicates the essence of a certain digital divide phenomenon (absolute measures, relative measures and S-time-distance are considered). In addition, even the simultaneous reporting of all three measures is insufficient. To monitor and interpret the dynamics of the digital divide it is therefore very important to explicitly take into account future scenarios of ICT diffusion among the observed subjects (e.g. population segments, countries.). We have developed these scenarios within the broad framework of the diffusion theory (Rogers, 1962, 2003), but with a distance from two of its implicit assumptions related to the deterministic conceptualisation of the diffusion process: the form of the diffusion function and the anticipated level of the final penetration rate. It is argued that the proper measure can only be provided if we anticipate and take into account the full distribution functions of the compared subjects or population segments and the location of the subject at a certain point in time

The ten shades of silver

With the closing of the age-related gap in mobile phone uptake and the aging of the population, older adults have increasingly become a desirable target group for mobile phone providers. Although there is abundant literature describing the use of mobile phones among older adults, segmentation studies on this group of consumers remain scant and inconclusive. Drawing on the benefit and behavioral segmentation, this study presents a segmentation model of older adults in the mobile phone market that incorporates a wide variety of consumer behavior, attitudinal, and acceptance variables relevant for the understanding of mobile phone (non-)usage patterns among users of feature phones and smartphones, as well as among mobile phone nonusers. The model is based on a hybrid approach with a two-step cluster analysis using data collected by a telephone survey from a representative sample (n = 1,581) of adults aged 55 or older in Slovenia in 2015. The analysis yielded two uniquely profiled clusters within each of the five a priori-determined segments, summing to a total of 10 clusters. The results show that older adults still prefer feature phones. Nevertheless, the mobile phone market has become highly heterogeneous, with clusters of older adults having distinguishable feature phone- and smartphone-use patterns as well as socio-demographic and life-course profiles. Since many of these profiles undermine the notion of older adults as "basic" mobile phone users, our findings represent a solid foundation for scholars and marketers to further investigate their specific needs in relation to more advanced smartphone and mobile internet usage

Information technology and independent living of the older adults

Število otrok in mladih ljudi v Evropski uniji se že nekaj časa zmanjšuje, število starostnikov pa se vztrajno povečuje, zato je še posebej pomembno, da se družba prilagodi novim razmeram in da tudi z uporabo informacijsko-komunikacijskih tehnologij (IKT) starostnikom omogoči kakovostno in neodvisno starost. Tehnološke potrebe starostnikov so povezane z njihovo fizično oslabitvijo in družbenimi izgubami. T. i. podporna tehnologija namreč predstavlja orodje za nadomeščanje omenjenih izgub in omogoča starostniku bolj neodvisno življenje na svojem domu, kar pogosto predstavlja zaželeno alternativo institucionaliziranemu življenju v domu za starostnike ali odvisnosti od otrok in sorodnikov. Na dostop do IKT ter na sposobnost in pripravljenost za uporabo le-teh vpliva posameznikovo zdravstveno stanje, pomembni pa so tudi nekateri drugi socio-demografski in socialno-psihološki dejavniki, npr. odnos do IKT, pomanjkanje zanimanja, motivacije, samozavesti za uporabo IKT, prisotnost strahu ter strah pred izgubo zasebnosti. Prispevek govori tudi o uporabi nekaterih IKT med starostniki in prikazuje razmere v Sloveniji v tem pogledu v okviru mednarodnih primerja

Design of mobile phones for older adults

Design guidelines and checklists are suggested as a useful tool in the development and evaluation of interface design of mobile phones for older adults. Given the intense evolution of mobile phone design, understanding how the design guidelines and checklists have taken into account the advances in mobile phone usability for older adults is important for their correct application and future development. Thus, this study explores the usability dimensions of mobile phone design for older adults and the related changes in terms of time and the type of device (feature phones vs. smartphones) based on an expert coding of the eight mobile phone design guidelines and checklists for older adults published between 2006 and 2014. The results of the expert coding show that design guidelines and checklists most frequently deal with visual and haptic issues (e.g., high contrast, button type, and button size), whilst they hardly ever address various elements of textual interface (e.g., ease of text entry, a button\u27s feedback, and font type). Over time, the design guidelines and checklists have become more complex in terms of the average number of included usability categories and dimensions. For smartphones, the guidelines, on average, put more emphasis on the screen, touchscreen, text, and exterior related issues, whereas the design guidelines for feature phones stress the usability of the keypad and menus. Besides revealing potential usability dimensions that could be further expanded in the guidelines, this study also highlights the need for research that would empirically validate the design guidelines and checklists in the future

A comparison of the usability of a standard and an age-friendly smartphone launcher

Age-friendly smartphone launchers are tools designed to enhance smartphone handling among older adults with cognitive and functional limitations. Although evidence exists about the positive effects of age-friendly smartphone launchers on older adults\u27 usability performance in general, little is known about how the design and interface complexity of these launchers affect their interface usability effectiveness and efficiency compared with standard Android smartphone interfaces. Thus, in this study, a randomized crossover experiment involving 50 older smartphone users, aged 60 years and above, was guided by the principles of summative usability testing to assess whether an age-friendly launcher performs better than a standard Android launcher performs and to investigate the relationship between the user interface complexity and usability performance of launchers. The results of usability tests in which each participant solved 10 tasks on both launchers indicate that the two tested launchers had comparable effectiveness (i.e. completeness with which participants achieved the test tasks\u27 goals), whereas the age-friendly launcher marginally outperformed its standard Android counterpart in terms of efficiency (i.e. the amount of time used by participants to solve the test tasks). The results also demonstrate that lower user interface complexity is associated with higher effectiveness and efficiency, suggesting that age-friendly smartphone launchers might lead to higher adoption rates of smartphones among older adults if interface designers could reduce their cognitive complexity by limiting the number of steps and alternative paths for task completion